A Hogsmeade Journey
by BumbleXFox
Summary: Harry, Ron and Hermione travel into Hogsmeade for Christmas shopping! One-shot! Re-posted from an old account.


**Disclaimer: I don't own anything!**

 **~X~X~X~**

Harry, Ron and Hermione trudged, arms crossed and teeth chattering, past the crowds in Hogsmeade and through the fluffy snow pouring down over everyone. They'd decided to take a day off from endless heaps of homework to take a trip into the village that was an old-fashioned Christmas card; its white rooftops were higgledy piggledy and the small, pretty cottages and quaint shops' doors were adorned with red, green and gold wreathes.

Clusters of students from Hogwarts seemed to be spilling round every corner with heavy bags filled to the top with sweets and chocolates, others with hot mugs in their gloved hands as their cheeks reddened and lips purpled. Nevertheless, despite the cold, people still managed to laugh and chatter joyfully about this and that. It seemed by the hustle and bustle and group of little cloaked dwarves singing 'God Rest Ye, Merry Hippogriff!' that Christmas shopping season had arrived in the village.

During the season, witches and wizards from all over the country would travel miles – not that it would matter with apparition or the Floo Network – just to take a small 'peep' into the famous Honeydukes sweet shop or to purchase a fine set of new robes at Gladrags Wizardwear.

Thankfully, Harry and his two friends didn't have to worry too much about shopping and had finally neared the view of Honeydukes and, by luck, several students, wrapped in scarves and woolly hats, stumbled and clambered out into the frosty air from the green door, looking rather awkward with their over-filled bags and mouthfuls of chocolate, toffee and cake trying to slip through the mass of people.

The trio took the opportunity to jump into the sweet shop as fast as possible, they twisted and turned and slid through the deep snow, its satisfying crunch barely heard over the host of people: they passed an elderly lady with a rather elaborate hat with several purple feathers hanging over the brim which seemed to brush everyone's faces, much to their annoyance, as she walked by. They saw also a man with bushy eyebrows who continued to chew on an Ice Mice and had no idea that his teeth were squeaking so loud that many people had given him strange glances. A younger man with a tall pointy hat looked the most irritated as he scoffed and pushed his way through the crowds, but others laughed as the man simply took another sweet from the little red box he carried and his squeaking teeth began again . . .

To the twinkle of the bell above the door, Ron was obviously the first one to sprint inside, eager to get his hands on more Chocolate Frogs as his supply had quickly ran out (just as Harry and Hermione had been informed numerous times for the past week.) Hermione was several metres away from Ron, and as the wind picked up, her bushy brown hair whipped around and was left looking as similar to a cat's feather-duster tail as you could get – almost identical to Crookshanks', 'cept the colour of course. Harry followed, his hands deep set in his pockets; Scabber's had nibbled his way through the majority of his gloves Mrs. Weasley had knitted him and he now had no feeling in his fingers whatsoever.

Harry stepped over the threshold at Honeydukes, the sweet smell of chocolate and peppermint was usually the first thing he enjoyed, but on a day like this, it was the warmth that had the most contentment.

Harry scanned the shelves and rows upon rows were filled with bright, peculiar confectionery; Cockroach Clusters, Sherbet Lemons, Liquorice Wands and Cauldron Cakes. He noticed the two barrels contained endless amounts of tangy Fizzing Whizzbees and bizarrely tasting Bertie Botts' Every Flavour Beans. It reminded him of the time when Fred and George had 'accidently' swapped Draco Malfoy's bonbons for identical ones that made him have a severe eye twitch the whole way through Professor Snape's class.

Ron had joined Dean over at the 'Special Effect Sweets' area where they were both laughing at Seamus who looked - to Harry - like a screaming Mandrake the way he was contorting his face and dancing. What was weirder? Harry had noticed that through Honeydukes' windows, a middle-aged man was sitting in the chair at the hairdressing salon across the street. A seemingly normal picture, until you took note of the gentleman's bright hair, lemon-like, which contrasted _wonderfully_ with his acid green robes and dark tan. . .

Harry heard his name and he snapped back into the sweet shop as Ron appeared in front of him with an armload of Chocolate Frogs that could feed the entire school. Hermione then approached with a bag of golden toffees and several little Cauldron Cakes. After Ron had paid, the trio left the confectionery shop and decided to make the journey down to The Three Broomsticks, where they'd enjoy a warming Butterbeer by the crackling fire.

 **~X~X~X~**


End file.
